WHERE ARE THEY NOW? AN INTERVIEW WITH QUEST ALUMNI KYLE KIRKEGAARD

In this blog series, “Where are they now?”, alumni can reflect on their academic, social and physical journey through Quest’s undergraduate education. We have been asking some Quest alumna to write a few words about Quest, their experience, and where it has taken them. Here are some words from recent graduate Kyle Kirkegaard:

Who are you?
My name is Kyle Kirkegaard and I graduated in the class of 2015.

What attracted you the most to Quest University Canada when deciding which university you would like to attend?
I was attracted to Quest by the diversity of studies in the foundation program, the block plan, and the emphasis on discussion based learning.

What was your Question?
My Question was “How can we design effective environmental remediation strategies?”
Within this question I studied Environmental Resource Management and Data Analysis around the topic of freshwater systems. My keystone project was a literature review of pulp mill waste and landfill leachate management that also included theoretical wastewater management designs for a retired pulp mill in the local Squamish area.

Tell us about one/ some of your favourite moments at Quest?
One of my favourite moments at Quest was when a student shot their hand up in the air to ask a question and swung it from side to side – My tutor then proceeded to “throw his hands up” and entertain us with a short rendition of a Miley Cyrus classic. It reminds me of the nature of Quest to enjoy your time working hard and engaging within the community.

What are you doing now? Did Quest play a part in that at all?
I am currently a partner in a Public Art Consulting Company based in Vancouver, BC. Quest played a large role in providing me with a multitude of skills that are important across all disciplines. This enabled me to pursue a career outside of my direct field of study at Quest and instead based on extracurricular interests.

What do you think is the benefit of going to a small liberal arts and science university versus a large traditional one?
The greatest benefit of going to a small liberal arts and science school for me was the significant amount of time available to meet with tutors outside of class. I greatly appreciated this as it allowed me to engage further in course material or provide avenues outside of the classroom to pursue additional research projects.

Anything else you would like to add about Quest and how it has shaped you and what you are surprised about, etc.
It may sound like a bit of a cliché, but it truly gave me the tools to move through my life with a sense of focus while still remaining inquisitive.